Wheeler: FCC to classify internet as Title II Utility

[uebermann]

[Dylan]

[Spider]

[Professor]

[Thrilla]

I'm not so sure classifying ISP as Title 2 providers is going to be the best method to achieve net neutrality.

title 2 regulations are intended to regulate a common carrier monopoly and has very specific regulations geared towards that end.

the problem isn't that it can't bring about net nuetrality, the problem is that the FCC does not have the forbearance authority to pick and choose what specific regulations will be enacted, and which will not.
that's an authority solely placed in the hands of Congress.

if the FCC , in their latest 330+ page regulatory scheme, "picks and chooses" it automatically opens up the issue for more litigation.. litigation that they will most likely lose ( it's common legal knowledge that the FCC doesn't have the authority to pick and choose or re-regulate)

TItle 2 has some lil nasty things that consumers and ISPS won't like... the first being the opening the door to taxes and fees ISP are not susceptible to now... including additional state, municipal, and federal taxes, along with FCC fees.
beings we, the public, are not allowed to see the 330 page regulatory scheme we can't know the particulars on addition fees, or even if the FCC is exempting them ( which goes back to "picking and choosing").
the other being broad authority to not only regulate the Internets "last mile" , but being able to regulate traffic from end to end across the internet ( they can chose not to, but that , again, would be "picking and choosing".. and authority they are not granted)


in any event, i'm not sold on the necessity for net neutrality.... there are some behaviors of the ISPs that i abhor, but there's the concern of the federal govt overregulating the industry as to fundamentally change it for the worse ( libertarians aren't very trustful of benevolent big brother)... and then there is the issue of this whole thing being a solution looking for a problem.

[eric]

omg omg omg omg omg such excite, many interwebs, f**k comcast

[eric]

[Thrilla]

[eric]

But its not over regulating. And they wI'll be able to throttle, it they will have to throttle the whole thing. That's fine, because then they are going to piss their customers off. If they rise prices, then once again it'll piss off customers. They have no reason to raise prices, either, because they aren't experiencing increased cost from this regulation, they just won't be able to f**k everybody over.

And who cares about congress?

[Thrilla]